Washing/Drying Machine

Abstract

 A washing machine includes a drum (20), a discharging duct (30) communicating with the drum and discharging inner air of the drum, a supplying duct (40) communicating with the drum and supplying external air into the drum to make a flow direction of the external air pass across that of the inner air, and a heat exchanger (50) connected to the discharging and supplying ducts, in which a first air flow path which passes therethrough the inner air discharged outward through the discharging duct and a second air flow path which passes therethrough the external air supplied into the drum through the supplying duct cross each other. The washing machine may also include a humidity regulating part (90) which reduces the humidity of the inner air as it is discharged. Thus, the washing machine improves efficiency of heat exchange between the inner air and the external air through the heat exchanger.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a washing and/or drying machine comprising a rotatable drum, an inlet duct in communication with the drum for the supply of air thereto, an outlet duct in communication with the drum for discharging air therefrom, and a heat exchanger disposed between the inlet duct and the outlet duct to permit heat exchange between the supplied air and the discharged air.

[0002] Drum type washing machines are known in the art that carry out drying operations as well as washing, rinsing and draining operations.

[0003] A drying operation of a washing machine can be classified into a "circulation" drying operation in which air which has been discharged from the drum is circulated back into the drum and a "non-circulation" drying operation in which external air is supplied into the drum to dry the clothes.

[0004] As shown in Figure 1, a conventional washing machine of the non-circulation drying operation type comprises a drum 1, a supplying duct 2 for supplying external air into the drum 1, a circulating fan 3 provided in a portion of the supply duct 2 to blow the external air into the drum 1, a heater 4 for heating the external air as it passes through the supply duct 2, a discharge duct 5 for discharging air from inside the drum 1 to outside thereof, and a heat exchanger 6 for exchanging heat between the external air passing into the drum through the supply duct 2 and the inner air passing out of the drum 1 through the discharge duct 5. The heat exchanger 6 therefore increases the temperature of the external air supplied into the drum 1 so that power consumption of the heater 4 is decreased and, also decreases the temperature of the inner air discharged from the drum 1. However, in conventional washing machines, the supply duct 2 and the discharge duct 5 are disposed side by side so that a flow direction of the inner air is opposite to that of the external air. Accordingly, it is difficult to enhance heat exchange efficiency between the external air and the inner air through the heat exchanger 6.

[0005] In addition, the temperature and humidity of the internal air discharged to outside the washing and/or drying machine are often higher than that of the ambient external air. Accordingly, though the temperature and the humidity of the internal air are decreased a little as the internal air passes through the heat exchanger, the temperature and the humidity of the internal air are, in some instances, still too high to discharge to outside the machine, if the machine outlet vents to inside a room in a building.

[0006] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a washing machine that substantially alleviates or overcomes the problems mentioned above.

[0007] Accordingly, the washing machine of the present invention is characterised in that the heat exchanger is configured such that a direction of flow of the supplied air therethrough crosses a direction of flow of discharged air therethrough.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment the direction of flow of the supplied air is substantially perpendicular to the direction of flow of discharged air, and the heat exchanger preferably comprises a plurality of flow passages for the supplied air and a plurality of passages for the discharged air.

[0009] The supplied air passages and the discharged air passages are conveniently arranged in alternating layers, and each layer of passages is advantageously formed from a corrugated sheet of material.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the heat exchanger further comprises a humidity modulator configured so that discharged air flows through the humidity modulator before being discharged to outside the washing and/or drying machine.

[0011] According to another aspect of the invention, members which form first air flow paths of the discharged air and second air flow paths of the supplied air are respectively shaped like waves.

[0012] In a preferred aspect of the invention, the members which form the first air flow paths and the second air flow paths comprise aluminum.

[0013] According to an aspect of the invention, the washing machine further comprises an inner circulation duct communicating with the discharge duct and the supply duct and to facilitate the flow of the air from the drum.

[0014] In another embodiment of the invention, the humidity modulating part, which communicates with the heat exchanger, decreases humidity of the air which passes through the first flow path. The humidity modulating part preferably comprises porous material and conveniently comprises a casing which communicates with the heat exchanger and has an opening at a side thereof, and a filler filled inside the casing so as to pass therethrough the inner air.

[0015] According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the washing machine further comprises a temperature modulating fan flowing air from a rear of the heat exchanger, and which decreases the temperature of the air discharged outward through the heat exchanger.

[0016] The present invention further provides a drying machine comprising a drum, a discharging duct which communicates with the drum, and which discharges inner air of the drum outward, a supplying duct which communicates with the drum, and which supplies external air into the drum to make a flow direction of the external air pass across that of the inner air discharged outward through the discharging duct and a heat exchanger connected to the discharging duct and the supplying duct, in which a first air flow path which passes therethrough the inner air discharged outward through the discharging duct and a second air flow path which passes therethrough the external air supplied into the drum through the supplying duct cross each other.

[0017] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 schematically illustrates a configuration of a conventional washing machine;

Figure 2A schematically illustrates a first exemplary embodiment of a configuration of a washing machine according to the present invention;

Figure 2B schematically illustrates a second exemplary embodiment of a configuration of a washing machine according to the present invention;

Figure 3A illustrates flow directions of inner air and external air passing through a heat exchanger provided in the washing machine of Figure 2A;

Figure 3B illustrates flow directions of inner air and external air passing through a heat exchanger provided in the washing machine of Figure 2B;

Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the configuration of a heat exchanger provided in a washing machine of the present invention;

Figure 5 is a sectional view of a humidity modulating part of the washing machine shown in Figure 2B; and

Figure 6 schematically illustrates a position of a temperature modulating fan in a washing machine according to a further aspect of the present invention.

[0018] Referring now to Figure 2A, a washing machine of a first embodiment of the present invention comprises a drum 20 and a discharge duct 30 in communication with the drum 20 for discharging air out from within the drum 20. A supply duct 40 is provided in communication with the drum 20 for supplying external air into the drum 20 from outside thereto. The flow direction of the external air crosses that of the inner air, through a heat exchanger 50 connected to the discharging duct 30 and the supply duct 40 which exchanges heat between the discharged inner air and the supplied external air.

[0019] Referring now to Figure 2B, a washing machine of a second embodiment of the present invention is shown and is generally the same as that of Figure 2A but also includes a humidity modulating part 90 provided at a rear of the heat exchanger 50 for reducing humidity of the internal air discharged out through the discharge duct 30 and the heat exchanger 50.

[0020] With reference to Figures 2A-B, the operation of the washing machines according to the first and second embodiments will now be described.

[0021] An air outlet 22 and an air inlet 24 are respectively formed in the drum 20. The air outlet 22 is connected to the discharge duct 30 and the air inlet 24 is connected to the supply duct 40.

[0022] A first end of the discharge duct 30 is in communication with the air outlet 22 of the drum 20 and a second end of the discharge duct 30 is in communication with the heat exchanger 50. A first end of the supply duct 40 is in communication with the air inlet 24 of the drum 20 and a second end of the supply duct 40 is in communication with the heat exchanger 50.

[0023] A fan 60 and a heater 70 are provided in the supply duct 40 to dry clothes after a dewatering operation of the washing machine. The fan 60 draws the external air into the supply duct 40 and blows it across the heater 70 which heats the air and the air is then introduced into the drum 20 through the air inlet 24 to heat and dry the clothes therein. The air within the drum from the drying operation flows out of the drum 20 through the air outlet 22 via the discharge duct 30. Then, the heat of the discharged air in the discharge duct 30 is exchanged with that of the external air supplied into the heat exchanger 50 from outside thereof as it passes through the heat exchanger 50. This reduces the temperature of the discharged inner air which is then discharged to outside the washing machine. Conversely, the temperature of the supplied external air is increased by passing through the heat exchanger 50 and the heated external air is then introduced into the drum 20 through the supply duct 40.

[0024] In the heat exchanger 50, an air path of the inner discharged air and an air path of the external air cross each other to enhance efficiency of heat exchange. For example, a first air flow path 52 of the inner air discharged outward through the discharging duct 30 and a second air flow path 54 of the external air supplied into the drum 20 through the supplying duct 40 cross each other as shown in Figures 3A-B and 4.

[0025] Due to the heat exchange between the discharged inner air and the supplied external air, the drying efficiency of the washing machine is enhanced. In addition, the installation cost of the washing and/or drying machine is decreased because the discharged air discharged is cool enough to be discharged into a room of a building, for example, a washing room, whereas conventional washing machines discharge air at too high a temperature to be discharged into a room and so require a vent to be installed to allow the discharged air to be discharged to atmosphere outside the building.

[0026] The first air flow path 52 and the second air flow path 54 of the heat exchanger 50 each comprise a plurality of passages and respective layers of the first air flow passages 52 and layers of the second air flow passages 54 are alternately stacked up on each other. The members M which form the first air flow passages 52 and the second air flow passages 54 are shaped like waves, (e.g. corrugated) and the air flow passage forming members M may comprise any material with good heat conductivity, for example, aluminum.

[0027] The shape and material of members M may be variously changed as necessary so long as the flow direction of the air flow passages 52 and the second air flow passages 54 cross each other.

[0028] The inner pressure of the washing machine may increase due to pressure-loss which is generated when the inner air of the drum 20 passes through the heat exchanger 50. To avoid increasing of the inner pressure, the washing machine according to the present invention preferably, but not necessarily, comprises an inner circulation duct 80 communicating the discharging duct 30 with the supplying duct 40 so as to make the inner air flow more smoothly through the heat exchanger 50. The amount of the inner air that flows into the inner circulation duct 80 can be appropriately modulated by, for example, appropriate selection of the size of a diameter of the inner circulation duct 80 and/or an interference projection within the inner circulation duct 80 and a condensing duct may be employed for the inner circulation duct 80.

[0029] In the second exemplary embodiment illustrated in Figure 2B, the heat exchanger 50 also includes a humidity modulating part 90. As shown in Figures 3B and 5, the humidity modulating part 90 communicates with the first air flow path 52 of the heat exchanger 50 and is employed for decreasing or eliminating the humidity of the inner air discharged to outside the washing machine through the first air flow passages 52. Accordingly, the washing and/or drying machine may discharge air which has similar humidity to air inside a building in which the washing machine is used so that, as mentioned above, the washing machine may discharge air to the inside of a room in the building and does not have to discharge air to outside of the building via a vent, as in conventional washing machines.

[0030] A structure of the humidity modulating part 90 may be variously changed as necessary so long as the humidity modulating part 90 performs its role of decreasing the humidity of the inner air discharged out through the first air flow paths 52 of the heat exchanger 50. For example, as shown in Figure 5, the humidity modulating part 90 may comprise a casing 92 which communicates with the heat exchanger 50 and has an opening at a side thereof, and a filler 94 filling the casing 92 through which discharged air may pass. The casing 92 may comprise a plurality of air vents 91 on a side thereof to discharge the inner air through which has previously passed through the space among the filler 94. A position of the air vents 91 may be variously changed as necessary. The humidity modulating part 90 may comprise porous material.

[0031] Referring to Figure 6, a further aspect of the washing machine of the present invention is shown comprising a temperature modulating fan 96 at a rear of the heat exchanger 50 that makes ambient air flow toward the heat exchanger 50 to further decrease the temperature of the inner air discharged out through the heat exchanger 50. While the heat exchanger 50 shown in Figure 6 is illustrated as including humidity modulating part 90, a person skilled in the art would appreciate that temperature modulating fan 96 can be employed without including humidity modulating part 90.

[0032] A structure of the temperature modulating fan 96 per se is well known in the art and accordingly a detailed description thereof will not be provided.

[0033] Although exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principle of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the claims hereafter.

[0034] While the present invention is described as a washing machine as one embodiment, it is possible that the invention could equally comprise a similar device, such as a drying machine to dry clothes. In such a case, a drum of a washing machine performs the same function as a drum of a drying machine to accommodate clothing. Also, the other elements are identically applicable. The configuration of such a drying machine is similar to that of the washing machine shown in Figures 2A-2B. Thus, a specific drawing of a drying machine is not shown in this specification.

Claims

1. A washing and/or drying machine comprising a drum, an inlet duct in communication with the drum for the supply of air thereto, an outlet duct in communication with the drum for the discharge of air therefrom, and a heat exchanger disposed in a flow path between the inlet duct and the outlet duct to permit heat exchange between the supplied air and the discharged air,
characterised in that the heat exchanger is configured such that a direction of flow of supplied air therethrough crosses a direction of flow of discharged air therethrough.

2. A washing and/or drying machine according to claim 1 wherein the direction of flow of the supplied air is substantially perpendicular to the direction of flow of discharged air.

3. A washing and/or drying machine according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the heat exchanger comprises a plurality of flow passages for the supplied air and a plurality of passages for the discharged air.

4. A washing and/or drying machine according to claim 3 wherein the supplied air passages and the discharged air passages are arranged in alternating layers.

5. A washing and/or drying machine according to claim 4 wherein each layer of passages is formed from a corrugated sheet of material.

6. A washing and/or drying machine according to any preceding claim wherein the heat exchanger further comprises a humidity modulator configured so that discharged air flows through the humidity modulator before being discharged to outside the washing and/or drying machine.

7. A washing machine comprising a drum, a discharging duct which communicates with the drum and which discharges inner air of the drum outward, a supplying duct which communicates with the drum and which supplies external air into the drum to make a flow direction of the external air pass across that of the inner air discharged outward through the discharging duct and a heat exchanger connected to the discharging duct and the supplying duct, in which a first air flow path which passes therethrough the inner air discharged outward through the discharging duct and a second air flow path which passes therethrough the external air supplied into the drum through the supplying duct cross each other.

8. The washing machine according to claim 7 wherein the first air flow path and the second air flow path are respectively provided plurally, and are alternately stacked up on each other.

9. The washing machine according to claim 8 wherein members which form the first air flow paths and the second air flow paths are respectively shaped like waves.

10. The washing machine according to claim 7 wherein members which form the first air path and the second path comprise aluminum.

11. The washing machine according to claim 8 wherein members which form the first air flow paths and the second air flow paths comprise aluminum.

12. The washing machine according to claim 9 wherein the members which form the first air flow paths and the second air flow paths comprise aluminum.

13. The washing machine according to claim 7 further comprising an inner circulation duct communicating with the discharging duct and the supplying duct and to facilitate the flow of the inner air.

14. The washing machine according to claim 7 further comprising a humidity modulating part which communicates with the first air flow path of the heat exchanger and which decreases humidity of the inner air which passes through the first air flow path.

15. The washing machine according to claim 14 wherein the humidity modulating part comprises porous material.

16. The washing machine according to claim 14 wherein the humidity modulating part comprises a casing which communicates with the heat exchanger and has an opening at a side thereof, and a filler filled inside the casing so as to pass therethrough the inner air.

17. The washing machine according to claim 7 further comprising a temperature modulating fan flowing outer air from a rear of the heat exchanger and which decreases the temperature of the inner air discharged outward through the heat exchanger.

18. The washing machine according to claim 14 wherein the first air flow path and the second air flow path are respectively provided plurally, and are alternately stacked up on each other.

19. The washing machine according to claim 18 wherein members which form the first air flow paths and the second air flow paths are respectively shaped like waves.

20. The washing machine according to claim 18 wherein members which form the first air path and the second path comprise aluminum.

21. The washing machine according to claim 19 wherein members which form the first air flow paths and the second air flow paths comprise aluminum.

22. The washing machine according to claim 14 further comprising an inner circulation duct which communicates with the discharging duct and the supplying duct to facilitate the flow of the inner air.

23. A drying machine comprising a drum, a discharging duct which communicates with the drum and which discharges inner air of the drum outward, a supplying duct which communicates with the drum and which supplies external air into the drum to make a flow direction of the external air pass across that of the inner air discharged outward through the discharging duct and a heat exchanger connected to the discharging duct and the supplying duct in which a first air flow path which passes therethrough the inner air discharged outward through the discharging duct and a second air flow path which passes therethrough the external air supplied into the drum through the supplying duct cross each other.

Drawing